The PSNI is urging youngsters to abide by the law following a crackdown on underage drinking at a Cookstown nightclub over the weekend.

A squad of officers descended on a teenage disco on Friday night and - as a result of illegal drinking - were forced to call parents from across Northern Ireland to ask them to come and collect their children.

“We do not want to prevent anyone from having a good time however we do want to protect our young people from the harm that can come from underage drinking.”

Some, they said, did not even know their children were in Cookstown.

But, as well as dealing with a number of clubbers, police also reported stopping a number coaches bringing young revellers to the town and searching them for alcohol - a move they said they plan to continue.

When asked how many children police had to deal with on the night, a spokesperson said: “A small number of young people under the age of 18 were detected to have taken alcohol.

“This obviously caused some concern amongst officers, who dealt with the issue in an appropriate and proportionate manner.”

Keen “not to spoil anyone’s fun” a spokesperson for the force has since highlighted the effect drinking can have on people, making them “a little more vulnerable” and possible “victims of crime”.

Inspector Daniel Walsh said: “We are aware that the vast majority of young people act responsibly, attending functions and events without consuming alcohol whilst under the age of 18 as the law dictates.

“We do not want to prevent anyone from having a good time however we do want to protect our young people from the harm that can come from underage drinking.”